scholarly journals Examining food safety knowledge and the microbiological quality of school meals in Ghana

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Melody Enyonam Appietu ◽  
Eric Francis Amuquandoh
Keyword(s):  
High Schools ◽  
Food Safety ◽  
Microbiological Quality ◽  
Food Handlers ◽  
School Meals ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Safety Practices ◽  
Volta Region ◽  
Safety Knowledge

Food safety studies have received much empirical investigation; however, limited studies regarding food safety and the microbiological quality of meals in boarding senior high schools exist. This study examined the food safety knowledge, the microbiological quality of school meals, as well as the barriers to food safety practices among food handlers in boarding senior high schools (SHS) in the Volta Region of Ghana. A cross-sectional research design was adopted for the study, using questionnaires to collect data from 97 food handlers in five boarding senior high schools in Volta Region, Ghana. A total of sixty samples of four cooked foods were collected and subjected to laboratory analysis. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square test were used to analyze the data. Results of the study revealed that respondents had good food safety knowledge. The laboratory results revealed the presence of rod and cocci shaped bacteria, where some of these isolates were identified as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas spp., and Bacillus cereus which are possible pathogens. The barriers to food safety practices revealed inadequate provision of equipment and irregular water supply. Findings of this study have implication for stakeholders involved in the management of SHS. Administrators of SHSs must design and implement food hygiene training and sanitation programmes for food handlers in schools. Also, more stringent supervision during food preparation processes is recommended.

Food safety knowledge, attitudes, practices and training of fast-food restaurant food handlers: a moderation analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Harold Van Andaya Aquino ◽  
Tyron Yap ◽  
Jean Paolo Gomez Lacap ◽  
Gertrude Tuazon ◽  
Maribel Flores
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Fast Food ◽  
Safety Training ◽  
Fast Food Restaurant ◽  
Food Handlers ◽  
Safety Practices ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Moderation Analysis ◽  
Food Safety Training ◽  
Safety Knowledge

PurposeThe study examines the interrelationships of food safety knowledge, attitudes and practices, and the moderating effect of food safety training on the said interrelationships.Design/methodology/approachPredictive-causal was the primary research design used and partial least squares – structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was the statistical technique applied.FindingsResults showed that food safety knowledge significantly and positively influences attitudes towards food safety. It was further revealed that attitudes toward food safety and food safety practices are also significantly and positively related. Moderation analysis indicated that food safety training moderates the significant and positive relationship between attitudes towards food safety and food safety practices.Research limitations/implicationsThe present study has limitations. First, the unit of analysis is focused on food handlers in fast-food restaurants in Angeles City, Philippines. Other researchers may come up with similar studies on a larger scale – provincial, regional or national. Second, only food safety training as a construct was used as a moderator on the hypothesized relationships of the structural model. Other studies may expand and explore other moderating variables and/or mediating constructs that may affect the said hypothesized relationships.Practical implicationsBased on the present study, food safety knowledge was found to have a huge significant and direct influence on attitudes of fast-food restaurant food handlers towards food safety, as evidenced by the computed effect size. In short, knowledge on food safety is an integral factor when it comes to enhancing food safety attitudes of fast-food restaurant food handlers. When fast-food restaurant food handlers are well-equipped with the right food safety knowledge, they become more aware of the different food safety protocols and other pertinent food safety guidelines and procedures which can lead to favorable food safety attitudes.Social implicationsThe present study highlighted the moderating effect of food safety training on the relationship between attitudes toward food safety and food safety practices. Therefore, regular attendance of food handlers to food safety training is crucial in developing acceptable attitudes toward food safety, which in turn, favorably affect their food safety practices in fast-food restaurants.Originality/valueThe current study utilized PLS-SEM, a second-generation statistical technique, to measure the hypothesized relationships as compared to correlation tests performed by prior studies on the interrelationships of food safety knowledge, attitudes toward food safety and food safety practices. PLS-SEM is suitable for this type of research design – predictive-causal – since this study involves model development and prediction. Furthermore, it employed moderation analysis to measure the moderating effects of food safety training on the identified hypothesized relationships of the structural model. Hence, methodologically, the present study employed new ways and insights in measuring the interrelationships of food safety knowledge, attitudes and practices.

scholarly journals Food Safety Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Brazilian Food Truck Food Handlers

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 1784 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lígia Isoni Auad ◽  
Verônica Cortez Ginani ◽  
Elke Stedefeldt ◽  
Eduardo Yoshio Nakano ◽  
Aline Costa Santos Nunes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Water Samples ◽  
Microbiological Quality ◽  
Food Contamination ◽  
Food Handler ◽  
Foodborne Diseases ◽  
Food Handlers ◽  
Food And Water Samples ◽  
Attitudes And Practices ◽  
Safety Knowledge

This study aimed to (i) compare the food safety knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported practices (KAP) and observed food safety practices of food truck (FT) food handlers, (ii) evaluate the microbiological quality of food and water samples collected from these vehicles, and (iii) establish a score classification for the KAP instrument according to the food contamination probability assessment. This study was conducted in three stages with 40 food truck food handlers conveniently sampled in the Federal District, Brazil, through structured interviews, application of an observational checklist for the assessment of handlers’ practices and the collection of food and water samples for determination of microbiological quality. FTs that are likely to exhibit food contamination and are at a high risk of foodborne diseases if at least one of the following situations occur: (1) if a food handler scores ≤6 in the knowledge section; (2) if a food handler scores ≤5 in the attitudes section; or (3) if a food handler scores ≤6 in the self-reported practices section. On the other hand, FTs in which handlers score higher than the cutoff points in all the sections are unlikely to exhibit food contamination and are at a low risk of foodborne diseases. The findings of this study are the first step to understand food handlers’ point of view and the initial diagnosis to guide educational strategies in the FT sector.

Self-reported food safety knowledge and practices of Lebanese food handlers in Lebanese households

2018 ◽  
Vol 120 (3) ◽  
pp. 518-530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hussein F. Hassan ◽  
Hani Dimassi ◽  
Zeina Nakat Karam
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Marital Status ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Personal Hygiene ◽  
Food Handlers ◽  
Food Handling ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Significance Level ◽  
Safety Knowledge

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess level of food safety knowledge and self-reported practices among Lebanese food handlers in Lebanese households and to identify the association between knowledge/practices and socio-demographic characteristics. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1,500 participants from different gender, age, area of residence, income, marital status and education. They completed a questionnaire of six questions about demographics, and 26 questions related to knowledge and self-reported practices in terms of food handling, storage, usage of kitchen facilities and personal hygiene subgroups. SPSS v23 was used for statistical analyses. Student t-test and analysis of variance were conducted. Significance level of 0.05 was used. Findings On average, participants scored 55.6±16.3, 51.3±25.7, 67.4±19.3 and 89.1±16.3 on food handling, storage, usage of kitchen facilities and personal hygiene, respectively, whereas the passing (score above 50 percent) rates were 64.5, 69.9, 90.5 and 99.1, respectively, for the different subgroups. Gender had significant (p<0.05) effect on food handling and personal hygiene; age, marital status and education had significant (p<0.05) effect on handling, usage of kitchen facilities and personal hygiene; area of residence had significant (p<0.05) effect on storage, handling and usage of kitchen facilities; income had significant (p<0.05) effect on handling and usage of kitchen facilities. Overall mean food safety knowledge and self-reported practices score was 63.8±12.6; passing rate was 86.2; gender, age, area of residence, education, marital status and income had significant (p<0.05) effect. Food safety self-reported practices and knowledge scores were significantly (p<0.001) related to a weak to moderate correlation coefficient (R=0.34). Practical implications The results confirm the need for ongoing educational initiatives to improve the relatively low food safety knowledge and practices among the Lebanese food handlers in Lebanese households. Originality/value No study has determined the food safety knowledge and self-reported practices of Lebanese food handlers in Lebanese households before.

scholarly journals Food safety knowledge, attitudes and practices of food handlers: A cross-sectional study in school kitchens in Espírito Santo, Brazil

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alyne Gomes da Vitória ◽  
Jhenifer de Souza Couto Oliveira ◽  
Louise Caroline de Almeida Pereira ◽  
Carolina Perim de Faria ◽  
Jackline Freitas Brilhante de São José
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Linear Regression Analysis ◽  
Knowledge Score ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Food Handlers ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Training Time ◽  
Attitudes And Practices ◽  
Safety Knowledge ◽  
Knowledge Attitudes And Practices

Abstract Background The adoption and evaluation of good practices in food handling in food service are essential to minimizing foodborne diseases. The present study aimed to evaluate food safety knowledge, attitudes, and practices of food handlers in schools in Vitória, Brazil. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out in the school food services of the municipal network of Vitória-ES. The sample of food handlers was obtained by convenience and comprised food handlers involved with preparation and other kitchen-related activities. The instrument consisted of a structured questionnaire with 36 six questions that included sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to good practices and food safety. The questionnaire was answered by 172 food handlers. Pearson correlation test, T-test, Tukey’s test and multiple linear regression analysis were conducted. Data entry and analysis were done using SPSS v.20 software. Results Most of the participants were female (96.5%, n = 166), were 40 to 49 years old (44.8%, n = 78), attended high school (57.9%, n = 99), had up to 5 years of experience in the role (39.5%, n = 68). Some of them had participated at least 4 times in training (74.4%, n = 128) of which the most recent session had occurred within 3 months (52.0%, n = 44). The lowest score was obtained for knowledge (7.1 ± 1.22). All the models presented significant results for the F-test. This result show good model fit and results ranging from 1.5 to 2.5 on the Durbin Watson test of residual autocorrelation. The linear regression analysis allowed us to identify that the knowledge score increased with experience, but it was significant only for those who had spent up to 10 years in the role. The knowledge score was associated with experience and training time. Attitudes were significantly related to the schooling and training time. The increase in the classification of practices is shown only through a classification of attitudes. Conclusions Although the food handlers’ knowledge level in general was considered as sufficient, it was inferior to their scores for attitudes and practices regarding certain food safety concepts. Food safety training is ongoing in these units and covers the main aspects that favour the transformation of knowledge into appropriate attitudes and practices.

scholarly journals Safe Food Practices among the Regimental Food Handlers of Selected Military Unit

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-68
Author(s):  
Muhammad Anwarul Hoque ◽  
Nazmin Rahman ◽  
Mohammad Khalid Mahmud
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Nuclear Family ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Food Handlers ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Safety Practices ◽  
Practice Level ◽  
Safety Practice

Introduction: Food safety is a key public health concern. Food handlers play an important role in ensuring food safety throughout the chain of preparation, storage and serving. Aim: To assess the food safety practice level among the food handlers of selected unit messes in Dhaka Cantonment. Methods: This descriptive cross sectional study was conducted among the food handlers of selected unit messes in Dhaka Cantonment from January 2013 to December 2013. A total of 133 food handlers were selected following convenient sampling technique. Data were collected by face to face interview using a predesigned semi-structured questionnaire and check list. All completed questionnaires were validated manually and data were analyzed with Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) verson 15.0 by using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: In this study, the food handlers had a mean age of 32.94 years; all were male and Muslim. Regarding educational qualification, majority (42.9%) were between class VI to X and 80.5% were married. The mean monthly income of the participants was taka 17,115.8 and 53.4% belonged to nuclear family. Majority (65.4%) of the participants were cook and 39.8% had family members between 4-5 persons. It was found that out of all food handlers 12% had good, 78.9% had average and 9.0% had poor food safety practice status. Descriptive statistics revealed that occupation, education and marital status played a major role for food safety practice level. Conclusion: Efforts need to be taken to improve the awareness among the food handlers. Safety practices and further studies are recommended on determinants of non-compliance to safety practices by the food handlers. JAFMC Bangladesh. Vol 15, No 1 (June) 2020: 65-68

scholarly journals Factors associated with food safety knowledge and practices among meat handlers in Bangladesh: a cross-sectional study

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Md. Hasan Al Banna ◽  
Tasnim Rahman Disu ◽  
Satyajit Kundu ◽  
Bright Opoku Ahinkorah ◽  
Keith Brazendale ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Daily Basis ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Safety Practices ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Safety Knowledge ◽  
Good Food

Abstract Background Food handlers can play a vital role into reducing foodborne diseases by adopting appropriate food handling and sanitation practices in working plants. This study aimed to assess the factors associated with food safety knowledge and practices among meat handlers who work at butcher shops in Bangladesh. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 300 meat handlers from January to March, 2021. Data were collected through in-person interviews using a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of three parts; socio-demographic characteristics, assessments of food safety knowledge, and food safety practices. A multiple logistic regression model was used to identify the factors associated with food safety knowledge and practices. Results Only 20% [95% confidence interval, (CI) 15.7–24.7] and 16.3% (95% CI 12.3–20.7) of the respondents demonstrated good levels of food safety knowledge and practices, respectively. The factors associated with good levels of food safety knowledge were: having a higher secondary education [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 4.57, 95% CI 1.11–18.76], income above 25,000 BDT/month (AOR = 10.52, 95% CI 3.43–32.26), work experience of > 10 years (AOR = 9.31, 95% CI 1.92–45.09), ≥ 8 h per day of work (AOR = 6.14, 95% CI 2.69–13.10), employed on a daily basis (AOR = 4.05, 95% CI 1.16–14.14), and having food safety training (AOR = 8.98 95% CI 2.16–37.32). Good food safety knowledge (AOR = 5.68, 95% CI 2.33–13.87) and working ≥ 8 h per day (AOR = 8.44, 95% CI 3.11–22.91) were significantly associated with a good level of food safety practice. Conclusions Poor knowledge and practices regarding food safety were found among Bangladeshi meat handlers. Findings may help public health professionals and practitioners develop targeted strategies to improve food safety knowledge and practices among this population. Such strategies may include education and sensitization on good food safety practices.

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